


The Best Laid Plans

by MackenzieW



Series: In Any Universe (OQ Prompt Party) [13]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, OQ Prompt Party 2019, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 09:46:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19060159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MackenzieW/pseuds/MackenzieW
Summary: Robin planned a very important dinner. Unfortunately, it doesn't go according to plan.





	The Best Laid Plans

### The Best Laid Plans

            “Shit, shit, shit, shit,” Robin repeated over and over, muttering to himself. He was on hands and knees, scrubbing at the tile as beads of sweat ran down his face. Glancing up, he realized Regina was going to be home any minute and his stomach turned.

            She was going to kill him.

            He stood, wiping is brow as he took in the damage. Several pans were stacked in the sink, soaking. All the windows were open but the smell of burnt food still lingered in the air and he didn’t even know how he was going to get the scorched marks out of her stove. He had managed to take the garbage with the charred remains of what was supposed to be the most romantic meal Storybrooke had ever seen out to the curb. When Robin thought maybe some wine would still save the disaster, the bottle slipped out of his hands and shattered against the floor. It sent red liquid splashing everywhere, shards of glass mixed in with it. He just managed to clean up most of it but the white tile was now looking very pink.

            Robin cursed again as he rubbed the back of his neck, wondering if he had been cursed by some villain. Things in Storybrooke had been calm since they had defeated the Black Fairy but one never knew who was still lurking out there. And his mind did turn to Zelena for a moment before dismissing it. His relationship with her was improving and they were managing to co-parent their daughter while Zelena and Regina continued to work on their relationship as well. She wouldn’t want to mess anything up, even if just to make sure she didn’t lose any time with baby Poppy, their daughter.

            But a curse would explain so much. This wasn’t his first time cooking in the kitchen. He and Roland had moved in months ago and he often made dinner for the family when Regina had to work late. Nothing like this had happened before and he couldn’t explain why so many things had gone wrong in such a short period of time. There had to be a reason why it happened this time when he was trying prepare this meal.

            Sighing, he placed his hands on his pockets and his heart sank even more. One finger slid through a hole in his pocket, meaning the very important item he had been keeping there had fallen out.

            Maybe the universe was trying to tell him something.

            He heard the door unlock and open. Moments later, Regina called out: “I’m home!”

            “In the kitchen,” he called back, ready to face the music. He hoped she went easy on him. Robin already felt like shit.

            She entered the room, her smile dimming when she saw him. “What’s going on?”

            “I tried to cook you dinner,” he told her. “It, uh, didn’t go well.”

            He glanced over at the stove and she covered her mouth. She moved closer and glanced down at the tile. Looking back at him, she raised an eyebrow. “What exactly happened?”

            “I don’t know,” he admitted. “Everything was going well. And then the next thing I know, a pot was on fire and there was black smoke pouring out of the oven. I was able to put everything out but nothing was salvageable. I had to toss it all. So then I thought we could have some wine while I called for takeout…but then the bottle broke. I tried to clean it up but I feel like I made it worse. And to top it all off…I lost something very important.”

            Robin panted, not realizing that he hadn’t really breathed as it poured out. He leaned against the island in the kitchen, rubbing his face. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say I was cursed.”

            “You’re not cursed,” she said, sounding almost amused. He lowered his hands to find her standing there, fighting her smile. “And I’ve had a day too. My computer crashed, all the permits I signed yesterday were accidentally shredded so I had to sign them again and I got a flat.”

            “What is going on?” he asked, confused.

            She finally gave in, smiling. “It’s Friday the Thirteenth. It always brings chaos to Storybrooke. Do you know how many calls the fire department has gotten today? You are definitely not the only one who burnt food. And Emma and Hook have been running around helping people all day. It’s just not a good day to anything.”

            Robin glanced at the calendar and his heart sank. How did he not realize the date when he made his plans? Why didn’t he just wait one more day? Henry was going to be at Emma and Hook’s all weekend and Zelena would’ve happily taken Poppy one more day. The Merry Men could’ve taken Roland camping the next night as well. All he had to do was be more patient and perhaps his romantic dinner would’ve gone off without a hitch. He could try again then but he still was without something important.

            She placed her hand on his arm. “What were you trying to make?”

            “I found this new chicken recipe and some pasta,” he told her. “I was going to light candles, dim the lights, play some soft music…”

            “Sounds very romantic,” she said, wrapping her arms around him and leaning against him. She smiled. “It’s the thought that counts, right?”

            He sighed, kissing her forehead. “Not this time, I’m afraid.”

            Regina pulled away, taking his hand. “Come on. Why don’t we have a nice bath and then we can make something that won’t blow up in either of our faces?”

            “That sounds good,” he said, following her out of the kitchen. “I’ll try to fix the rest of the damage tomorrow. You know, when I won’t make it worse.”

            She stopped on the stairs, leaning forward to kiss him. “I’ll handle it tomorrow. Nothing a wave of the hand can’t fix.”

            He tilted his head. She didn’t rely on magic as much as she used to now that things were quiet and usually only saving it for when it was really needed. He didn’t think that what he had done warranted it. “Are you sure? I’m sure I can fix it.”

            “I know you can,” she replied, cupping his cheek as she stood a few steps ahead of him. “But I can tell you’re beating yourself up over this and I don’t want you to keep doing that as you fix everything tomorrow.”

            Robin was touched by her thoughtfulness. He leaned forward and kissed her. “I’m not so much beating myself up. I’m just…frustrated and disappointed.”

            “I understand.” She gave him a suggestive smile. “Why don’t I make you feel better?”

            He grinned, knowing that any time he spent with her made him feel better. “You already are.”

            They finished climbing the stairs and headed into their bedroom. He easily shed his clothes, checking his pockets again to confirm that he really had lost the item he had stored there before chucking it into the hamper. Robin was used to patching up clothing and he would do the same with the jeans after a good washing.

            Once he was naked, he pulled on his bathrobe and turned to Regina. She was still undressing and he unzipped her skirt for her as he kissed her neck. “I’ll go start the bath. Hopefully I won’t mess that up.”

            “I doubt you will,” she replied, leaning back to kiss him. “I’ll be right in.”

            He left the room and headed into their bathroom. Starting the water, he turned the taps until it was the right temperature. Robin retrieved her favorite bubble bath and poured some into the water, letting it bubble as a soft rose scent filled the room. It was going well and he wondered if Friday the Thirteenth’s power was starting to weaken as the day drew to a close.

            “Robin, was this what you lost?” he heard Regina ask. Turning around, his heart stopped when he saw what she held between her thumb and index finger. It was a beautiful square cut diamond flanked by two rubies set on a gold band. He had worked odd jobs for several months to save up for it and had finally been able to purchase it earlier that week, which was why he wanted to give it to her as soon as possible.

            Relief filled him. “Where did you find it?”

            “Under the bed,” she said, walking closer to him with a strange look in her eyes. “Is this what I think it is?”

            He nodded. “That was why I wanted to make you a romantic dinner. I had everything all planned out. I know we’ve never really discussed it and I know your first marriage wasn’t the greatest but…”

“But you are nothing like Leopold,” she said. “You have always supported me and seen the best in me, even when I couldn’t always see it in myself. You have never asked anything of me in exchange for your love. You just give it freely. You made me believe in second chances. I would love a second chance at marriage. Robin of Locksley, will you marry me?”

            Robin stared at her before smiling widely. Joy surged through him and he leaned forward, kissing her. “Absolutely, darling,” he replied.

            He took the ring from her and placed it on her finger. She laughed before hugging him. “Snow is going to want to plan our wedding,” she warned him.

            “That’s fine,” he replied.

            She pulled away, admiring her ring. “It’s beautiful, Robin.”

            “I wanted something as beautiful as you,” he told her, holding her close. “I saw this and knew it was the one right away.”

            Regina smiled, leaning in to kiss him again. She paused, frowning before saying: “Umm, Robin, the water is still running.”

            Panic filled him and he turned to see the water overflowing the tub. He dove to turn off the taps, his bathrobe getting soaked in the process.

            He really hated Friday the Thirteenth.

**Author's Note:**

> Uses the following prompts: 36. Spilled wine/73.Robin makes Regina a romantic meal and it doesn’t go to plan/120. Robin gives Regina ring/179. Regina proposes to Robin


End file.
